1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electronic displays and, more particularly, to an electronic display apparatus with a control device and an electronic display panel that can be turned off by the control device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wide variety of electronic display apparatuses are known. A laptop is one widely used example. The control device can generally comprise, for example, a microprocessor, and the electronic display panel, for example, can comprise a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or a Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD). Here, deactivation of the electronic display panel customarily serves to reduce the electricity/energy consumption of the electronic display apparatus. In the case of laptops, for example, it is familiar for the electronic display panel, comprised of the screen, to be switched to a standby mode.
Within the framework of the operation of industrial production plants, thus for example in connection with installations pertaining to automation technology, reduction of the energy consumption of the installation is gaining in significance from both economic and environmental perspectives. Corresponding installations generally have a multiplicity of electronic display apparatuses, which particularly serve to display status messages about the installation, and are also designated panels for operation and observation. In contrast to an electronic display apparatus comprising a conventional laptop such electronic display apparatuses employed for control and monitoring purposes are generally subject to the requirement that incoming status messages be permanently visible on the respective electronic display device during operation of the installation, in order to enable ongoing monitoring of the installation and where applicable the initiation of urgently required measures. This results in corresponding electronic display apparatuses generally being switched on at all times, as the deactivation of the electronic display panel, which may basically be technically possible on a frequent basis, is not permitted on safety grounds or is allowed only in individual cases.